Vacuum cleaner display device



Aug. 15, 1939 A. l.. McctARrl-nf VACUUM CLEANER DISPLAY DEVICE FiledOct. 3, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG .INVENTOR ARTHUR L. Mc CARTHY Aug. l5,1939 A. l.. MCcARTHY VACUUM CLEANER DISPLAY DEVICE Filed oct. 5, 19:58 2sheets-sheet 2 ,INVENTOR BY ARTHUR' \..McARTHY f' f/'//f/ ATTORNEYSPatented ug. 15, 1939 UNITED VACUUM CLEANER DISPLAY DEVICE Arthur L.McCarthy, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application October 3,

i2 Claims.

This invention/relates generally to display equipment and refers moreparticularly to a device for illustrating the operation of suction orvacuum cleaners.

It is one of the principal objects of this inventio-n to provide arelatively simple display device for visually illustrating the action ofa suction cleaner in performing the cleaning function on a surfacecovering.

Another advantageous feature of this invention resides in the provisionof a display device rendering it possible to visually illustrate theaction of the agitating means associated with .the suction nozzle ofmany vacuum cleaners.

l'l5 Stili another object of this invention consists in providing thedisplay device with means enj Vgageable with the handle supportingtrunnions at opposite sides of the vacuum cleaner casing to support thecleaner in a position where the actionV thereof on a surface coveringmay be clearly viewed.

A further feature of the present invention consists in providing adisplay device which is not i only compact and attractive in appearance,but which may be readily transported asl a unit from one point toanother for demonstration purposes.

rThe foregoing, as well as other objects, will be made more apparent asthis description proceeds, especially when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a display device iorming the subjectmatter of this invention and illustrating the vacuum cleaner in brokenlines;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the display device showing thevacuum cleaner in one position of adjustment on said device;

Figure 3 is a perspective view oi the display device illustrating thevacuum cleaner in another adjusted position of the device;

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the planeindicated by the line 4-4 y of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicatedby the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a wiring diagram of the electrical connections employed inthe display device.

Although my improved display device is not limited in its use to anyparticular type of suction cleaner, nevertheless, Vfor the purpose ofillus- A trating the present invention, I have selected a suctioncleaner of the following design. In

general, the suction cleaner is shown in the vv55 several views ascomprising a nozzle I0 having vi 1938, Serial No. 233,070

the usual relatively narrow elongated mouth lI normally located adjacentthe surface covering to be cleaned and communicating with the air intakeopening of a suitable blower I2 in accordance with the usual practice.The discharge side of the blower I2 communicates with the dirt receivingbag or receptacle I3 in a manner such that the dirt drawn through themonth II of the nozzle is discharged by the blower I2 into thereceptacle I3.

The fan (not shown) of the blower is driven by a suitable electric motorsupported in the housing It and operatively connected to a revolublebrush I5 supported in the mouth II of the nozzle I0. The particulardriving connectionV between the motor and brush I5 is not shown herein,since it forms no part of the present invention andmay be of the wellknown type. The brush I5 is also of conventional design in that it isprovided with two rows of bristles Iii extending in a spiral fromopposite ends of' the brush and adapted to contact with the surfacecovering.

Referring now more particularly to the display device, it will be notedthat this device is adapted to support the suction cleaner brieflydescribed above in either of the two positions shown in Figures 2 and 3.Upon reference to Figure l, it will be noted that the display devicecomprises a supporting base Il having a pair of brackets I8 and I9secured thereto in lateral spaced relationship. The space between thebrackets is slightly greater than the width of the motor housing I4 onthe suction cleaner to provide for inserting this housing between theupper extremities of the brackets with the handle supporting trunnionsextending into openings 2l provided in the brackets at their upper ends.Up- `on reference to Figure 5, it will be noted that the manne-r inwhich the trunnions 2l] are connected to the brackets is identical tothe method employed in connecting the usual handle (not shown) to thesuction cleaner. In detail, the upper ends of the brackets are supportedon the trunnions 20 between washers 22 and are secured in assembledrelation to the trunnions by means of screws 23 threaded in the outerends of the trunnions.

Also mounted upon the support Il is a standard 25 having provision fordisplaying suitable advertising or descriptive matter. In detail, thestandard 25 comprises a pair of stanchions 26 in the form of tubessecured to the support I1 at opposite sides of the brackets by means ofcouplings 2l and adapted to slidably receive suitable pins 28 dependingfrom the bottom side of a frame 29. The frame 29 is fashioned to supporta plate Si? on which the descriptive matter or advertising is placed,and a lamp 3| is secured to the top bar 32 of the frame in a position toilluminate the advertising matter on the plate 30.

For the purpose of controlling the operation of the electric motor inthe housing I4 of the suction cleaner, a switch assembly 33 is mountedon the support I'I in a convenient position. The assembly 33 comprises atoggle switch 34 corresponding to the conventional switch usuallysupported on the handle oi the suction cleaner in that it has threepositions of adjustment. When the switch operating lever 35 is in itslowermost position shown in Figure 1, the motor is running at arelatively low speed and when this lever is in its uppermost position,the motor operates at a relatively high speed. On the other hand, whenthe switch operating lever 35 is moved to a position intermediate thetwo above extreme positions, the supply cf electrical energy to themotor is discontinued.

The switch assembly 33 also comprises three electrical outlets,designated in the diagram shown in Figure 6 by the reference characters36, 3l and 33. The electrical contacts of the outlet 35 are connected tothe corresponding contacts ofthe outlet 37 through the medium of theswitch 34, while the electrical contacts of the outlet 38 are directlyelectrically connected to the corresponding contacts of the outlet 3'I.The outlet 3G at the top of the assembly 33 is shown in Figure l asadapted to detachably engage a plug 39 which, in turn, is electricallyconnected to the suction cleaner motor supported in the housing I4. Theoutlet 3l, on the other hand, is adapted to detachably receive a plug 40connected to a suitable source of electrical energy through the mediumof the conductor 4I, with the result that the suction cleaner motor isadapted to be electrically connected to the source of supply through theswitch 34. The outlet 38 at the bottom of the assembly 33 is shown inFigure l as adapted to detachably receive a plug 42 electricallyconnected to the lamp 3I through the medium of the conductor 43.

The suction cleaner is adapted to be supported between the brackets ISand I9 in the inverted position thereof so that the mouth II of thenozzle Il] is clearly visible. When the suction cleaner is in theposition thereof shown in Figures l and 2, the top wall of the cleanerrests on the support I'I and the mouth II of the nozzle I0 is inclinedwith respect to the vertical in a rearward direction, or in a directiontoward the brackets I8 and I9. The angle of inclination of the mouth IIof the nozzle is predetermined to permit a strip of surface covering Ato rest against the mouth I I in the manner clearly shown in Figure l.The surface covering employed for the purpose of demonstration has anarea sufhcient ito completely cover the mouth II of the nozzle whensupported in the position thereof shown in Figure l, so that when theswitch 34 is moved to either of its operative positions to start themotor in the housing I4 of the cleaner, the suction created by the fanwill draw the surface covering against the mouth II of the nozzle.

As pointed out above, the motor in the housing I4 of the cleaner is alsoconnected to the brush I5 for rotating the latter, and this brush is soadjusted with respect to the mouth II of the nozzle that the bristles I3project beyond the plane of the mouth II so as to contact with theadjacent side of the surface covering. Inasmuch as the two rows ofbristles i6 on the brush extend spirally of the brush, it iollows thatthe surface covering is fed, or moved upwardly relative to the nozzle tosimulate the movement oi the suction cleaner over the surface coveringduring normal operation. This upward movement of the surface coveringcontinues until the lower edge of the surface covering is advancedbeyond the lower edge portion of the mouth II of the nozzle I0,whereupon the interior of the nozzle is open to the atmosphere and thesuction or vacuum pull is destroyed. When this condition exists, thesurface covering slides downwardly relative to the mouth of the nozzleunder the action of gravity until the mouth I I is again sealed and thevacuum pull re-establisned on the surface covering. This cycle ofoperation continues as long as the suction cleaner is in operation, andthe repeated oscillation of the surface covering relative to the nozzleis highly advantageous from the standpoint of attracting attention.

When demonstrating the action of the cleaner on rugs cr carpets, thestrip of sample carpet is positioned with the warp or back against themouth I I of the nozzle so that the pile is visible. As the bristles ofthe brush engage the warp of the surface covering to raise the latterupwardly relative to the nozzle I5, these bristles impart a vibratorymovement to the surface covering which has the effect of loosening orjarring the powder or granular material, previously rubbed into the pileof the rug, to such an extent that this material is actually dischargedfrom the pile of the rug into the pan 45 mounted on the support Il' in aposition to receive the material as it drops from the rug. It should beunderstood that this demonstration is effected with a surface coveringhaving a weave of such a texture that it prevents any appreciable amountof air from 'being drawn through the rug by Ithe action of the suctionon the back of the rug.

The pan 45 is held against shifting movement relative to the support I'Iby means of dowels 4G depending from the bottom of the pan andengageable in recesses formed in the support I`I. In the presentinstance, the dowels have upwardly projecting extensions 4l positionedto engage the lower edge of the strip of rug A in the event the lattertends to slide away from the nozzle as it drops by gravity relative tothe nozzle Il).

In the action of the inverted suction cleaner, there is a tendency forthe spirally arranged bristles on the brush to shift the surfacecovering longitudinally of the nozzle and, in order to prevent thisshifting movement, I provide a pair of guides extending transversely ofthe pan adjacent opposite ends of the latter and having a slidingengagement with opposite sides of the pan to permit adjusting the sametoward and away from each other. In the specic embodiment of theinvention, the guides are in the form of inverted U-shaped clips havingspring metal leg portions 5I fashioned to snap into engagement with thebead 52 formed on the upper edge of the pan. As a result of thisconstruction, any tendency for the surface covering to shiftlongitudinally of the nozzle and destroy the vacuum pull on the surfacecovering is prevented.

It will also be observed from Figures l to 3, inclusive, that each ofthe guides 50 is provided with a lateral extension 54 in the form of abar secured to the base portions of the inverted U- shaped guides andextending to a position at the front side of the surface covering. Thefree ends vhaving a weave sufficientlyl loose to permit the powderedsubstance to be drawn through the nozzle ,into the bag I3. Whenconducting such a demonstration, the bag I3 is preferably disconnectedfrom the discharge side of the blower so that the powdered substancedrawn through the rug will be visible.

In the event it is merely desired to: demon-l strate the strength of thesuction of the cleaner, the latter is preferably swung to the positionthereof shown in Figure 3 whereinthe mouth of the nozzle l is disposedhorizontally. The suction cleaner is held in this position by means of astud d6 threaded in the braclet IB and having a reduced portion i'ladapted to extend into a recess formed in the adjacent side of thehousing lil on the cleaner. In this position of the suction cleaner, thebrush l is preferably disconnected from the motor and a strip of floorcovering is placed over the top of the mouth l lY of the nozzle. Priorto placing the strip of coveringmaterial 'over the nozzle l, a powderedsubstance ispreferably rubbed over the nap and the receptacle i3 isdisconnected from the discharge side of the blower so that the substancepreviously applied to the carpet will be visible as it is dischargedfrom the blower. Also, in the horizontal position of the suction cleanershown in Figure 3, a plate, such as a board B may be placed over themouth il of the suction nozzle and the `strength of the suction isdemonstrated by requesting the interested party to remove the board fromthe nozzle. The force required to lift the board from the nozzle will,of course, vary in dependence upon the strength of the suction and willserve to effectively demonstrate the efflciency of the cleaner.

Thus, from the foregoing, it will be observed that I have provided arelatively simple display device rendering it possible to demonstratethe action of a vacuum cleaner in a unique manner which will attractconsiderable attention. It will also be noted that my improved displaydevice is compact in construction and may be readily transported fromone point to another for demonstration purposes.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a suction cleaner display device, a suction cleaner having anozzle, a support in the form of a platform, means on the platform forsupporting the suction cleaner in an inverted position with the nozzledisposed at an angle to the platform, a strip of surface coveringresting against the nozzle opening and having an area sufficient tocover said opening, suction means embodied in the cleaner effective todraw the strip of surface covering against the nozzle opening, and meansin the nozzle and engageable with the strip of surface covering toimpart a vibratory movement to the strip.

2. In a suction cleaner display device, a suction cleaner having anozzle, a support in the form of a platform, means on the platform forsupporting the suction cleaner in an inverted position with the plane ofthe nozzle opening extending at an angle to the platform, a strip ofsurface covering resting against the nozzle opening and having an areasuflicient to coverl said opening,

'.suctionmeans embodied inthe cleaner effective to side of the strip ofsurface covering and effective 5 to advance the strip relative to thenozzle.

3. In a suction cleaner display device, a suction cleaner 'having anozzle and having driving means, a support in the form of a platform,means on the platformfor supporting the sucl tion cleaner in an invertedposition with the nozzle arranged at an angle to the platform, a stripof surface covering resting against the nozzle and having an areasuflicient to cover the nozzle opening, suction means embodied in thecleaner l and ldriven by the driving means to draw the strip of surfacecovering against the nozzle opening, and means Adriven by said drivingmeans and effective to raise the strip of surface covering relative tothe nozzle until the lower edge of the surface covering uncovers aportion of the nozzle to destroy the the action of the suction andthereby permit the surface covering to dropby gravity to a positionwherein the same again seals theA nozzle tore-establish the vacuum pullon the strip.

4. In a suction cleaner display device, a suction cleaner having anozzle and having driving `means, a support in the form of a platform,

means on .the platform for supporting the suc- 30 tion cleaner in aposition with the nozzle facing upwardly and inclined with respect tothe platform, a strip of surface covering resting against the nozzleopening and having an area sufficient to cover said opening, suctionmeans embodied;

in the cleaner and driven by the driving means to draw the strip ofsurface covering against the nozzle opening, a member rotatably sup-.ported in the nozzle and driven by said driving means, and bristlesextending from the rotatable member beyond the nozzle opening to engagethe adjacent side of the surface covering and raise the surface coveringrelative to the nozzle.

5. In a suction cleaner display device, a suction cleaner having anozzle and having driving.,

mechanism, a support in the form of aplatform,

means on the platform for supporting the suction cleaner in a positionwith the nozzle facing upwardly an-d inclined with respect to theplatform, a strip of surface covering against -thei nozzle opening andhaving an area sufficient to cover said opening, suction means embodiedin the cleaner and driven by the driving mechanism to draw the strip ofsurface covering against the nozzle opening, means in the nozzle anddriven by the driving means to impart a vibratory movement to the stripof surface covering, and a receptacle carried by the platform. in aposition to receive the foreign matter discharged from the surfacecovering by the vibratory movement thereof.

6. In a suction cleaner display device, a suction cleaner having anozzle and having an electrically operated driving mechanism, a supportin the form of a platform, means on the platform for supporting thesuction cleaner in a position with the nozzle facing upwardly andinclined with respect to the platform, a strip of surface coveringresting against the nozzle opening and having an area sufcient to coversaid opening, suction means embodied in the cleaner and driven by theelectrical driving mechanism to draw the strip of surface coveringagainst the nozzle opening, means in the nozzle and driven by theelectrical driving mechanism to impart a vibratory movement to the stripof surface covering, and a unit secured to the platform having a switchand having provision for electrically connecting the driving mechanismto a source of electrical supply through said switch.

'7. In a suction cleaner display device, a section cleaner having anozzle and having an electrically operated driving mechanism, a supportin the form of a platform, means on the platform for supporting thesuction cleaner in a position with the nozzle facing upwardly andinclined with respect to the platform, a strip of surface coveringresting against the nozzle opening and having an area sufficient tocover said opening, suction means embodied in the cleaner and driven bythe electrical driving mechanism to draw the strip of surface coveringagainst the nozzle opening, and means supported in the nozzle and drivenby the driving mechanism including a brush having bristles engageablewith the adjacent side of the surface covering to raise the latterrelative to the nozzle and to impart a vibratory movement to the stripof surface covering.

8. In a suction display device, a suction cleaner having a nozzle, asupport in the form of a platform, means on the platform for supportingthe suction cleaner in a position with the nozzle facing upwardly andinclined with respect to the platform, a strip of surface coveringresting against the nozzle and having an area sufficient to cover thenozzle opening, suction means embodied in the cleaner and effective todraw the strip of surface covering against the nozzle opening, revolublemeans located in the nozzle and engage- -able with the adjacent side ofthe surface covering to raise the surface covering relative to thenozzle until the lower edge of the surface covering uncovers a portionsof the nozzle to destroy the action of the suction and thereby permitthe surface covering to drop by gravity, and means carried by theplatform and engageable with the surface covering as the latter drops bygravity relative to the nozzle to guide the same.

9. In a device for displaying the action of a suction cleaner having anozzle, a support in the form of a platform, means on the platform forsupporting the s uction cleaner in a position with the nozzle of thecleaner facing upwardly and inclined with respect to the platform, astrip of surface covering resting against the nozzle, and means alsocarried by the platform and engageable with opposite ends of the surfacecovering to prevent lengthwise shifting movement of the surface coveringrelative to the nozzle.

10. In a device for displaying the action of a suction cleaner having anozzle, a support in the form of a platform, means on the platform forsupporting the suction cleaner in a position with the nozzle of thecleaner facing upwardly and inclined with respect to the platform, astrip of Surface covering resting against the nozzle opening, and meanscarried by the platform and effective to limit the extent of lateralshifting movement of the lower edge of the surface covering away fromthe nozzle.

11. In a device for displaying the action of a suction cleaner having anozzle, a support in the form of a platform, means on the platform forsupporting the suction cleaner in a position with the nozzle of thecleaner facing upwardly and inclined with respect to the platform, astrip of surface covering resting against the nozzle opening, and guidemeans positioned to engage opposite ends of the surface covering toprevent shifting movement of the surfaces covering longitudinally of thenozzle and having provision for limiting the extent of shifting movementof the surface covering in a direction away from the nozzle.

12. In a suction cleaner display device, a suction cleaner having anozzle and having driving mechanism, a support in the form of aplatform, means on the platform for supporting the suction cleaner in aposition with the nozzle opening facing upwardly and inclined withrespect to the platform, for a strip of surface covering resting lagainst the nozzle opening and having an area sufficient to cover thenozzle opening, suction means embodied in the cleaner and driven by thedriving mechanism to draw the strip of surface covering against thenozzle opening, means in the nozzle and driven by the driving means toimpart a vibratory movement to the strip of surface covering, areceptacle carried, by the platform in a position to receive the foreignmatter discharged from the surface covering by the vibratory movementthereof, and guide means adjustably mounted on the receptacle andengageable with the opposite ends of the surface covering to preventshifting movement of the surface covering relative to the nozzle in adirection longitudinally of the nozzle.

ARTHUR L. McCARTHY.

